Latch assembly



July 4, 1967 W, D. PORTER LATCH ASSEMBLY INVENTOQ WILLIAM D. POR'TER @W M M 3,329,457 LATCH ASSEMBLY William D. Porter, Forrest, Ill., assignor to American Screen Products Company, Chicago, [1]., a corporation of Florida Filed Apr. 28, 1965, Ser. No. 451,485 3 Claims. (Cl. 292246) This invention relates to a latch assembly suitable for holding two frame members fixed relative to one another, and more particularly, to a latch assembly that automatically is returned to and retained in the unlocked position when not in use.

Storm windows, screens, or like units generally are seasonally used, and certain types commonly are taken down in the off season and stored. Hooks or tracks, or

a combination of these, hold the frame of the unit in place and provide for relatively easy installation and storage. This invention discloses an improved holding means or latch assembly for such a removable unit, in that a major portion is permanently secured to the unit for easy installation and it is biased by its own resilience to an out-of-the-way position for easy storage.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved latch assembly that can be readily secured to a frame unit and that is automatically biased when not in use to an out-of-the-Way unlocked position closely adjacent the frame itself.

Another object of this invention is to provide a self returning latch assembly that is economical to manufacture, that can be easily mounted on the frame unit, and further that will operate dependably over continued use.

These and other objects will become apparent after reviewing the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view in section of a typical window assembly having a screen removably supported in place by means of the subject invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the screen and latch assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the screen and latch assembly shown in FIG. 1, as seen from the left side of the screen; and

FIG. 4 is a view taken generally from line 44 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawing for a detailed description, FIG. 1 shows in section a typical window and frame assembly of the type for which this invention can be suitably used. The assembly includes a sill or frame 10 and a window 12 supported by appropriate guides (not shown) to abut the sill. A shoulder 14 is formed on the sill spaced outwardly of the window, and a weather strip 16 is secured to the sill closely adjacent the window. A removable screen unit 20 is secured in spaced relation to the window 12 snugly against the shoulder 14. The screen unit 20 has a frame 26 and a wire mesh 28 interposed across the frame. The frame 26 is generally tubular having opposed vertical walls 29 and 30 and opposed horizontal walls 31 and 32. The outside vertical wall 30 is irregularly shaped to define therein an elongated channel 34 into which the end of the mesh 28 is positioned and held in place by means of a U-shaped resilient spline 36.

The subject invention relates to a latch assembly 38 (FIG. 3) suitable for securing a removable unit of the type just described against the shoulder .14. The latch assembly 38 has a fixed base member 40, a pivotable locking member or bail 42 pivoted to the base member, and a resilient keeper member 44 secured to the window frame 10.

The base member 40 is formed of sheet stock and has A United States Patent 3,329,457 Patented July 4, 1967 spaced legs 46 and an end overturned on itself so as to present a throughbore 48. The legs 46 are adapted to fit within properly positioned openings 50 in the top wall 32 of the frame, and barbs 52 on the legs interlock with the top wall 32 for holding the base member 40 to the frame. The throughbore 48 of the base member is defined by downwardly and outwardly sloping surfaces that provide thereby cam surfaces 54, as best illustrated in FIG. 3.

The bail 42 consists of a central portion 56, spaced side portions 58 extending therefrom, and aligned leg portions 60 inturned from the side portions 58. The leg portions 60 loosely fit within the throughbore 48 so that the bail member 42 can pivot about the base member 40 between the positions as shown in FIG. 1. The bail member 42 is formed of spring steel or other highly resilient material and the leg portions 60 thereof are spaced from one another so that the side portions 58 are biased against the cam surfaces 54 of the base 40, tending thereby to cause the bail member 42 to rotate relative to the base member 40 to the dead center vertical position whereat the side portions 58 are closest to one another. In this regard, the cam surfaces 54 are oriented relative to each other so that the dead center vertical position of the bail 42 exists when the bail 42 is extended in generally par allel relationship to the screen 28, such as shown in solid lines in FIG. 1.

The bail 42 can, however, be rotated from the vertical position against its resiliency substantially to cause the side portions 58 to slideably engage the cam surfaces 54 of the base member 40 thereby tension-spreading the leg portions 60 and creating a biasing force in the bail 42 tending to cause relief of the tension caused by such spreading of the leg portions 60. When under such tension, with the leg portions 60 spread apart, the center portion 56 of the bail 42 may be snapped over the raise-d end 62 of the keeper 44 and held thereby against such tensioning force. The keeper 44 is provided with an intermediate locking area 64 for confining the bail 42 while under such tension in a locked position (as shown in phantom in FIG. 1). With the bail 42 in this locked position, the screen unit 20 is securely held in position relative to the shoulder 14.

For removing the screen unit 20 from the frame, the bail 42 need merely be snapped over end 62 of the keeper 44 whereby the bail 42 is automatically returned to the unlocked position by the action of the tension forces stored in the bail 42 whereby such tension is relieved, for

' example, to a position directly adjacent the screen mesh 28. In this unlocked position, the latch assembly is confined entirely within the opposing planes of the frame 26 so that the unit can be readily stored with a minimum of danger of losing or damaging the latch member.

While only one embodiment of the subject invention has been disclosed, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that other modifications can be devised. Accordingly, it is desired that the invention be limited only by the scope of the claims hereinafter following.

I claim:

1. A latch assembly for securing the frame of a screen, storm window or like unit against a shoulder on the frame of a permanent window comprising, a base member adapted to be locked in place within an opening in the unit frame adjacent the permanent window, said base member presenting a throughbore having cam surfaces defined at its ends, a resilient keeper member securaible at one end to the window frame between the window and the unit, said keeper member, when so secured, presenting an intermediate locking area disposed closer to the throughbore of the base member than its free end, a locking member having a center portion, spaced side portions extending therefrom, and aligned leg portions extending from the side portions, said leg portions being received in the throughbore for supporting the locking member pivotally about the base member, the locking member being sufiiciently resilient to bias the side portions against the cam surfaces operable thereby to rotate the locking member to an unlocked position whereat it is locatable between the opposing planes of the unit frame, said locking member further being rotatable against its bias relative to the base member to a locked position whereat the center portion is engageable with intermediate locking area of the keeper member.

2. A latch assembly according to claim 1, including a unit frame which is tubular and has an opening adjacent the window and open to its presented barrier, wherein the base member includes an elongated leg portion inserta'ble into the opening, and wherein a bar-b on the leg portion snaps past the unit frame to hold the leg portion secure relative to the unit frame.

3. A latch assembly for holding two closure frames against relative movement in. at least one direction comprising: first and second components eonnectable, respectively, to the frames in spaced apart relation; thefirst component being a keeper member with a resilient free end, the second component being articulatable and including a base member fixable to one of the frames, and an elongated member pivoted at one end to the fixed member and having an opposite loop end; a cam surface on the fixed member extending over an angle of pivot of the pivotable member; a cam follower surface on the pivotable member enga-geable with said cam surface over said angle of pivot, said pivotable member having internal resilience sufi'lcient to bias said cam follower surface over said angle of pivot against said cam surface to thereby hold said pivotable member under tension over said angle, whereby said tension tends to cause pivotal movement of said pivotable member to a first unlocked position located away from said keeper member and to permit snapping of said loop over the free end of said keeper member and against the resiliency thereof to a lock position to cause locking and holding of said loop to said keeper member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 243,735 7/1881 Soule 292-249 728,093 5/1903 Ellingson 292246 X 2,240,923 5/1941 Christie 292--87 2,849,828 9/1958 Johnson 292-87 X MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD E. MOORE, Examiner. 

3. A LATCH ASSEMBLY FOR HOLDING TWO CLOSURE FRAMES AGAINST RELATIVE MOVEMENT IN AT LEAST ONE DIRECTION COMPRISING: FIRST AND SECOND COMPONENTS CONNECTABLE, RESPECTIVELY, TO THE FRAMES IN SPACED APART RELATION; THE FIRST COMPONENT BEING A KEEPER MEMBER WITH A RESILIENT FREE, END, THE SECOND COMPONENT BEING ARTICULATABLE AND INCLUDING A BASE MEMBER FIXABLE TO ONE OF THE FRAMES, AND AN ELONGATED MEMBER PIVOTED AT ONE END TO THE FIXED MEMBER AND HAVING AN OPPOSITE LOOP END; A CAM SURFACE ON THE FIXED MEMBER EXTENDING OVER AN ANGLE OF PIVOT OF THE PIVOTABLE MEMBER; A CAM FOLLOWER SURFACE ON THE PIVOTABLE MEMBER ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID CAM SURFACE OVER SAID ANGLE 